For years, we have argued that discrimination based on domestic violence can be a form of sex discrimination, in violation of civil rights laws. We called on HUD to issue guidance explaining that this kind of discrimination is unlawful. Last Wednesday, HUD issued a memo to its regional offices describing how discrimination against domestic violence survivors can violate the federal Fair Housing Act. It stated that the following conduct can be unlawful:

facially discriminatory policies based on stereotypes about abused women (e.g., a landlord who does not accept women with a history of domestic violence as tenants because he or she believes they always go back to the men who abuse them);

unequal treatment of victims of domestic violence, compared to victims of other crimes; and